Frequently Asked Questions

Parent-Taught Driver Ed

How do I complete the Parent-Taught Driver Education course?

Parent-Taught Drivers Ed begins with a parent or legal guardian completing the Parent-Taught Driver Education (P.T.D.E) Program Guide from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Upon receipt of the guide and review of the materials within it, the student can begin the online driver education course.

After students complete the first unit, they can apply for a Texas Driver's Permit if they are 15 years or older. A Learner's Driver Permit, also known as an Instructional Permit or Learner's License, is required in order to start behind-the-wheel training and concurrent course instruction.

To apply for a permit, the student and parent/legal guardian must bring all appropriate forms and documentation to the Texas Department of Public Safety office. This information, including all of the necessary forms and the instructions for how and when to complete them, is included in the program guide you receive from the TDLR.

How do I get my Parent-Taught Driver Education Program Guide?

To request a PTDE program guide, there are two options:

  1. Request the guide online at https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/ParentTaught/PTSelect.aspx. You will have the option to have the guide emailed or mailed to you for a non-refundable $20.00 fee payable by credit card.
  2. Fill out the following request form https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/driver/forms/DPS001.pdf and mail it with a $20.00 check or money order payable to: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

    Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
    PO Box 12157
    Austin, TX 78711-2157

Please note that guides sent by mail can take up to three weeks to arrive once requested. For the fastest results, make sure to choose the email delivery option and provide a valid email address in the "Instructor's Email" field while filling out the request.

Am I eligible to take Parent-Taught Driver Education?

Parent-Taught Driver Education is available to students 14-17 years of age who can be taught at home under the supervision of a qualified parent or legal guardian. Students 14 years of age may complete the first module of this course. But in order to be able to continue the course and apply for a Learner's Permit, the student has to be at least 15 years old.

Is my parent eligible to teach Parent-Taught Driver Education?

Only a teen's parent, step-parent, grandparent, step-grandparent, foster parent or legal guardian may teach Parent-Taught Driver Education. The power of attorney is not sufficient. No other relative is permitted as an instructor.

In order to be eligible, the instructor:

  • Must have held a valid driver's license for the past three years (individuals who lived outside Texas during any part of the last three years must bring the certified abstract driving record from their former state when the student applies for a license)
  • Has not had his/her driver license suspended, revoked or forfeited in the past three years
  • Has less than six points on his/her driving record
  • Has never been convicted of or received a probated sentence for Driving While Intoxicated, Driving Under the Influence or Criminally Negligent Homicide
  • Is not disabled due to mental illness

Instructors who are not sure if they meet the requirements should check their criminal record and driving record before signing up. If the TDLR determines an individual was not eligible to teach, none of the instruction will count and the student will not be issued a license.

Is this course required to get my permit or license?

This course fulfills requirements for the Parent-Taught option for required driver education and is approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The Parent-Taught program is an alternative to classroom instruction and can be completed at your own pace, in the comfort of your own home and neighborhood with a qualified parent or legal guardian.

Will I need to take the written permit exam at the DPS?

After completing the first module, students taking the PTDE course will be offered the option to purchase an online permit exam. If the student passes our DPS-Approved online permit exam, they will receive notation on their certificate that will allow them to bypass the written exam at the DPS when applying for their Learner's Permit. This online exam option is only available as an optional upgrade to students who take our Parent-Taught Driver Education program and cannot be purchased separately. PTDE Students who do not take the permit exam online will be required to take the exam at the DPS.

How long is the Parent-Taught Driver Education course?

The course is a state-required minimum of 32 hours of online instruction. The first module, which must be completed to receive a Learner's Permit, is 6 hours long.

Is PTDE considered a block or concurrent driver education course?

PTDE is a concurrent driver education course, which means you can apply for your Learner's Permit to begin on-the-road training after completing the first module.

Do I get a certificate to take to the DMV after I complete the first unit?

The DE-964E 6-Hour Permit Qualification Certificate is sent to students via e-mail within 3 days of completing Module 1 of the Parent-Taught Driver Education course. Students will use this certificate as proof of Module 1 completion when applying for a Learner's Permit at the DMV.

Is there an extra fee to take the permit exam online in the Parent-Taught Driver Education (PTDE) program?

Yes, those taking the PTDE program need to pay an additional $25 to take their permit exam online. However, if they prefer they can take the exam at the DPS per their fee schedule.

Why do we need the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)?

The TDLR requires all students and parents opting for the PTDE program to request approval to complete the education by completing a TDLR application. Once you have been approved, the TDLR will send you a PTDE Program Guide with information and forms. Once your TDLR guide has been received, you will be able to begin the online course material necessary to apply for your Texas learner's license and driver's license.

To apply for a permit, the student and parent/legal guardian must bring all appropriate forms and documentation to the Texas Department of Public Safety office. This information, including all the necessary forms and the instructions for how and when to complete them, is included in the guide you receive from the TDLR.

I see students can "self-start" their Texas Online Driver Education immediately. Can students start their Parent-Taught Driver Education (PTDE) immediately?

Students opting for the PTDE program can start as soon as they apply for and receive the Texas Parent-Taught Driver Education Program Guide.

Self-Taught Driver Ed

Do I get a certificate to take to the DMV after I complete the first unit of Texas Online Driver Ed?

The DE-964E 6-Hour Permit Qualification Certificate will be sent via mail to the student once they have completed Module 1 of the Texas Self-Taught Online Driver Ed. Students will use this certificate as proof of Module 1 completion when applying for a Learner's Permit at the DMV.

Am I eligible for Texas Online Driver Ed?

Any Texas teen between the ages of 14–17 years old is eligible to take this course. Students who are 14 years of age may begin our Texas Online Driver Ed course and complete the first module (6 hours). But to continue beyond the first module and apply for a Learner's Permit, students must be at least 15 years old.

For those who are 18 years and older, you must take our Texas Adult Driver Education Course.

Is Texas Online Driver Ed required to get my permit or license?

The state of Texas requires that everyone who pursues a Texas Driver's License must complete 32 hours of classroom instruction on driver education. This course is an online, single-student alternative to the required in-person classroom training. Texas Online Driver Ed can be completed at the student's convenience and in the comfort of their own home.

Will I need to take the written permit exam at the DPS if I take Texas Online Driver Ed?

After the first module of Texas Online Driver Education, students will have the opportunity to take our online permit exam. Those students who pass the online exam can apply for their permits at the DPS without taking an in-person exam on location. If a student does not take or pass our online permit exam, they must pass the DPS exam in-person at the offices.

How long is the Online Driver Ed course?

Since the state of Texas requires a minimum of 32 hours of classroom driver education training, the Texas Online Driver Ed course features 32 hours of online instruction.

When can I start the course?

The Texas Online Driver Ed course can be started immediately after signing up online.

How do I fulfill the behind-the-wheel Texas state driving requirement?

The Texas Online Driver Ed program fulfills the 32 hours of required in-class training. This means that after the course, students have the option of completing the remaining 44 hours of required behind-the-wheel training with an eligible parent/guardian OR at a driving school with a certified instructor.

How does the behind-the-wheel driving portion of the self-taught Texas Online Driver Ed class work? Is it included in the course price?

To satisfy the required 44 hours of behind-the-wheel training under the observation of a qualified parent, legal guardian, or instructor, students who have completed 32 hours of classroom instruction with our Texas Online Driver Ed Course can add our Behind-the-Wheel course. They can also choose to take their BTW training at a certified driving school, but many students opt for our BTW course to save money by training with a parent/legal guardian instead.

General Questions

Which driver education course should I take?

Understanding the main differences between the Texas driver education courses will help you make the right decision. Parent-Taught Driver Education is a parent-led course, and it satisfies the classroom and the behind-the-wheel driver education requirements. However, the online permit exam is an upgrade, and you are required to have a Parent-Taught Driver Education Program Guide.

Alternatively, Texas Online Driver Education is a student-led course. This course does not require a Parent-Taught Driver Education Program Guide and comes with the online permit exam. Note that the behind-the-wheel driver education requirement is a course upgrade and is not included in the initial price.

Adult driver education is for teens over 18-years old.

For a more detailed breakdown of the courses, please visit our driver education courses comparison page.

When can I apply for a Drivers Permit?

Students can apply for their Learner's Permit once they have turned 15 and completed the first unit/module of either the Parent-Taught Drivers Education or Texas Online Drivers Ed courses.

The Parent-Taught course will give you the option of purchasing and taking the Learner's Permit exam online instead of at the DPS. The Texas Online Drivers Ed course already features the Learner's Permit exam within the program.

What forms do I need in order to apply for a permit?

When applying for your permit at the DPS, you will need the following items:

  • DE-964E Certificate (Earned after the first 6 hours (Module 1) of driver's ed)
  • VOE (Verification of Enrollment and Attendance)
  • Identification and residency documents

Do I have to complete my driver education training in one sitting?

Students may log on and off as needed (even in the middle of Modules/Sections) at their convenience. All progress a student has made will be saved.

What behind-the-wheel training do I need to get a Driver's License?

Before applying for a Texas Driver's License, students will need to complete 44 hours of live, on-the-road driver training (referred to as behind-the-wheel or BTW training) in addition to the 32 hours of required classroom training under the observation of a qualified parent, legal guardian, or driving school instructor.

BTW training includes:

  • 7 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction
  • 7 hours of in-car observation
  • 30 hours of behind the wheel practice (including 10 hours at night)

The Parent-Taught Driver Education program is designed so that parents and qualified guardians may act as a student's behind-the-wheel instructor. However, students who take the Texas Online Drivers Ed course can also utilize a parent or a legal guardian by adding on our Behind-the-Wheel (BTW) course, which satisfies all Texas BTW requirements. Texas Online Drivers Ed students can choose to take their BTW training at a certified driving school, but many students opt for our BTW course to save money by training with a parent/legal guardian instead. Get more details here.

How will I get my certificate at the end of the course?

TexasDrivingSchool.com offers the certificate of completion for free, via first class mail, after students successfully complete the course. Certificates will be delivered 5-7 business days after completion.

How can I leave a review?

We've created a special page for our users to review our courses, share their experiences or alert us to any issues that call for extra support. Visit https://reviews.texasdrivingschool.com if you would like to submit a review and please make sure to leave your e-mail address if you need a response from our Quality Assurance team.

What are the main differences between the Self-Taught Texas Online Driver Education and the Parent-Taught Driver Education (PTDE) programs?

The main differences between these two programs are as follows:

  1. Before applying for a Texas Driver's License, students need to complete 44 hours of behind-the-wheel (BTW) training (in addition to the 32 hours of required classroom training) under the observation of a qualified parent, legal guardian or instructor. The 44 hours of BTW training are built into the PTDE course with the parent/legal guardian acting as the driving instructor, while BTW training is not included with the self-taught Texas Online Drivers Ed course. However, self-taught students can either complete the required BTW instruction with a licensed driving school in their area, or they can satisfy this requirement by adding our Behind-the-Wheel course. Doing so can save money, as a parent/legal guardian can teach this required training, meaning the student does not have to take their BTW course at a traditional driving school, which can be costly.
  2. With the PTDE program, each student and parent are required to request approval to complete the parent-taught driver education by completing a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) application. Once approved, the TDLR will send you a Parent-Taught Driver Ed Program Guide filled with information and forms. The guide cost is $20.00 which is paid directly to the TDLR.

I've completed my teen driver course. What do I need to bring to the DPS to get my license?

In addition to taking the road test at the DPS, the following documentation must be presented at your DPS appointment:

For Texas Online Drivers Ed students:

Completion certificate(s) for behind-the-wheel training (44 hours) from a certified driving school or from our Behind-the-Wheel course.

  • 7 hours of in-car observation
  • 7 hours of in-car instruction
  • 30 hours of in-car practice

For PTDE Students:

All completed forms from the PTDE Program Guide (only applies for parent-taught course students)

  • Identifying documents:
    • Proof of Identification
    • Proof of Social Security Number
    • Proof of US Citizenship
    • Proof of Texas Residency
    • A Verification of Enrollment and Attendance form to verify school enrollment (or a high school diploma or GED).
  • Proof of Texas vehicle registration and proof of financial responsibility for vehicle owner or a statement that the student does not own a vehicle.

After getting my permit, do I then have to set up appointments at a driving school?

If you are taking the PTDE course, your required behind-the-wheel training is included in the program, so you do not need to obtain any additional driving instruction. The behind-the-wheel driver education is not included with the Texas Online Driver Ed course. However, you can satisfy this requirement with our Texas Behind-the-Wheel course, available as an upgrade.

Are these courses/modules scheduled or can students log in and out anytime?

Our driving courses are 100% online, so students can log on and off as needed — even in the middle of Modules/Sections — at their convenience. All progress a student has made is saved.

How long does it take to receive my completion certificate for the DPS Highway Signs & Traffic Laws Exam?

You should receive you your certificate within 7–15 business days. If you do not, please contact us. You can also email us at info@texasdrivingschool.com.

What is the Impact Texas Teen Drivers program?

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) requires teen drivers to complete the Impact Texas Teen Drivers (ITTD) program before they take the behind-the-wheel portion of their driving exam. The course is a free two-hour video designed to reduce crashes caused by distracted driving. You can sign up for the ITTD course on the Texas DPS website.

Who is required to take the Impact Texas Teen Drivers program?

The program is mandatory for teens ages 15 to 17 who completed a teen driver education course or a parent-taught driver education course. Adults ages 18 to 24 who took a teen driver education course are also required to complete the program.

How can I get my Impact Texas Teen Drivers certificate?

When you finish your course, the Texas Department of Public Safety will email you a certificate of completion. You must print the certificate and bring it to the driver license office when you're ready to take your driving skills exam. The certificate will expire 90 days after you complete the course.